Master's Thesis AR · Winter Semester 2022/23 · Aidas Kazakevicius

One of the main challenges facing Lithuanian towns is the future of Soviet-era multi-storey housing estates. Built between 1960 and 1990 during a period of rapid urban growth, these neighbourhoods continue to accommodate a large share of the population. In Alytus, the population grew from approximately 12,000 to 76,000 inhabitants during this period, transforming the town into a major industrial centre. Since 1990, however, the population has declined to around 50,000, with approximately 65% of residents still living in Soviet-era neighbourhoods.

Over time, these neighbourhoods have become less attractive due to their ageing building stock, inherent spatial limitations, and limited capacity to adapt to changing lifestyles. As expectations regarding comfort, privacy, and quality of life have evolved, many residents have moved to suburban areas, contributing to urban sprawl and reinforcing a negative image of the town.

Demolition or comprehensive redevelopment of these neighbourhoods is largely impossible, as almost all apartments are privately owned. At the same time, the modernist planning principles on which they were based have left extensive undeveloped land, generous green spaces, vacant kindergartens, and underused garage complexes. The thesis explores how these spatial resources can be transformed into assets for sustainable urban development and contribute to the revitalisation of the entire town.

I. The Green Network

At the urban scale, a system of interconnected spatial corridors is proposed as a Green Network, serving ecological, recreational, and mobility functions. Sustainable mobility is strengthened through a dense network of pedestrian and cycling routes, complemented by new and strategically located bus stops. Existing green spaces along these routes are enhanced and differentiated to provide a wider range of recreational and ecological functions. The proposal reinterprets the modernist principle of designing connected spatial systems rather than isolated buildings. Any future development is therefore conceived as an integral part of the Green Network.

II. Neighbourhood Activators in Former Kindergartens

At the neighbourhood scale, former kindergarten buildings become catalysts for new public functions and outdoor activities. Within the study area, nine former kindergartens have already been reused. Most remain under municipal ownership and are currently occupied by educational, social, or non-profit organisations, while others remain vacant.

The thesis proposes complementary programmes that strengthen neighbourhood life and attract diverse user groups. One former kindergarten is transformed into a co-working, learning, and creative hub centred around a new architectural intervention. Another is reimagined as a residential campus, featuring a protected courtyard with a colonnade, a community garage, and services provided by local businesses and students from the vocational education centre.

III. Densification

Selected locations along the Green Network offer opportunities for carefully integrated densification. Existing buildings are adapted and complemented by new development to diversify housing options and introduce additional urban functions. Existing garage structures are extended vertically and converted into row houses or commercial spaces, while the blank façades of prefabricated apartment blocks provide opportunities for larger-scale extensions.

Together, existing and new buildings define and activate the public spaces of the Green Network. Private investment in these developments also creates opportunities to finance improvements to the surrounding public infrastructure.

By combining these strategies, the thesis demonstrates how targeted interventions can contribute to a more vibrant and sustainable town, supported by an interconnected mobility network, diverse green spaces, and revitalised neighbourhood centres.